Charting Your Past and Ancestral Heritage

Most people in the UK feel fairly certain about their past. We’re either “English”, “Scottish”, “Welsh” or “Irish”, but in fact our background is a lot more varied than that and it could be really interesting to undertake a DNA ancestry test to find out where you really come from.

DNA Ancestry To Put You In Your Place

Most countries today are populated by a diverse body of people, with links to many historical groups. No country has ever been free from invasion and most populations have intermingled, leaving rich pickings for DNA ancestry experts. The UK is no exception, having been invaded by various groups in its history, and welcoming immigrants from many other countries along the way. That means that although we may think of ourselves as British, the truth may be very different, and that’s why DNA ancestry is so fascinating. As someone born in Britain, you could easily be descended from:

Celts – coming to Britain from middle Europe, the Celts settled in Britain as well as establishing themselves in France, Germany, Belgium and elsewhere. It will come as no surprise that may Brits undertaking a DNA ancestry test will find a geographical link to Europe in their past.

Romans – when the Romans invaded Britain, their rule extended all the way to Hadrian’s Wall. Not all of the Romans who established themselves here were from Italy – in fact many would have been from other, far-flung parts of the Roman Empire, diluting the mix of the British race that little bit more. A DNA ancestry test may show links to Syria and Africa.

Vikings – the Viking invasions had a huge impact on the life of those living in Britain at the time. Most of the Viking invaders settled here and married within the community, so it’s likely that a good proportion of people living here today will have some connection to the Viking people.

These three main groups don’t take into account the Germanic invaders or the Normal Conquest, both of which would have had a real impact on the population of our island. In some cases, you are more likely to have links to one or more of these groups if you and your family have lived in the same part of the country for several generations, but the only real way to tell where you come from is to take a professional DNA ancestry test.